International Banks in Germany 2025
Introduction of the speakers
Mr Kay Böhm | PwC
Presentation: Annual Audits 2025: Key Issues and Conclusions
Education/professional career:
- Studies in banking, auditing and chemistry at University Mannheim
- Since 2021 Partner at PwC
Main topics:
Mr Leon Münning | PwC
Presentation: Annual Audits 2025: Key Issues and Conclusions
Education/professional career:
- Auditing and advising banks
- Signatory auditor of the annual financial statements of a major German bank
- Specialist in auditing the risk management and capital market business of banks
Main topics:
- Accounting (IFRS & HGB)
- Market risk
- Capital market business of banks
- Treasury management
Mrs Sonja Denner | Deutsche Bundesbank
Presentation: The Status Quo of ESG Risk Management
Education/professional career:
- Diploma in Economics, University of Bayreuth
- Research Assistant, Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg
- Trainee, Deutsche Bundesbank, Frankfurt am Main
- Since 2015: DG Banking and Financial Supervision, Deutsche Bundesbank, Frankfurt am Main
- 2015 – 2023: Senior Expert, Strategic Office SSM Supervision / JST Coordination
- Since 2023: Senior Expert, Division Innovation and Evaluation, Section Sustainability
Main topics:
- Supervision of Significant Institutions in the SSM
- Since 2020: Sustainability Risks (focus on Pillar 2)
Dr Andreas Dehio | Linklaters LLP
Presentation: The German Draft CRD VI Implementing Act
Education/professional career:
- Since 2017: Partner at Linklaters
- Joined Linklaters in the Financial Regulation Group in 2010
- Obtained his doctorate in Heidelberg
- Research stay at Suffolk University Law School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Studied law at the University of Saarland and the Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg
Main topics:
- Banking regulatory law, investment law, securities trading law and regulatory investigations
- Particular focus in advising on issues relating to business organisation, internal processes and the strategic management of institutions against the background of regulatory law
- Advising projects and representing clients in proceedings before German and European supervisory authorities
Further information on Dr Andreas Dehio can be found here and on the website of our expert advisory board.
Mr Steffen Nitsche | BDO AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
Presentation: Proportionality: The Supervisory Approach to Small and Non-Complex Banks and Non-Large Institutions
Education/professional career:
Main topics:
- Extensive support in the integration of sustainability through the development of ESG strategies, establishment of governance structures, risk/regulatory and reporting as well as integration of processes and data in the alignment with ESG
- Specialized in strategic and process consulting to drive innovation, adaptability and competitive advantage in the financial industry, including the design of effective implementation strategies for sustainable growth and operational excellence
Dr Ingo Schäl | BDO AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
Presentation: Proportionality: The Supervisory Approach to Small and Non-Complex Banks and Non-Large Institutions
Education/professional career:
- Since 2022: Partner Financial Services at BDO
Main topics:
- Financial Services
Dr Alexander Behrens | A&O Shearman LLP
Presentation: Legal and Supervisory Framework for Artificial Intelligence in Banks
Education/professional career:
- Partner at A&O Shearman
- Head of the German regulatory practice
- Advising banks, securities institutions and payment institutions
Main topics:
- German and European banking and securities supervision law
- Banking union law (SSM and SRM)
- Payment services law
- ESG
- Crypto assets/digital finance
- Conducting internal investigations in the financial sector
Further information on Dr Alexander Behrens can be found here and on the website of our expert advisory board.
Mr Niklas Germayer | A&O Shearman LLP
Presentation: Legal and Supervisory Framework for Artificial Intelligence in Banks
Education/professional career:
- Senior Associate
- Member of A&O Shearman’s Markets Innovation Group (MIG)
- Author in a commentary for the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation
Main topics:
- advises banks and other financial service providers, including FinTechs, as well as unregulated companies on all aspects of financial regulatory law, including ESG and AML matters
- advises financial institutions on digitalization and AI-related matters
- played a key role in developing a regulatory compliance tool that enables clients to efficiently meet regulatory requirements
Further information on Niklas Germayer can be found here.
Dr Hannes Bracht | Deloitte
Presentation: DORA Governance, Organisation and Responsibilities of the Management
Education/professional career:
- Studies and doctorate at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster
- Law trainee in Düsseldorf and Tel Aviv
- Lawyer, specialist lawyer for banking and capital market law
- Lecturer at the University of Münster
Main topics:
- Licensing, owner control, exemption, exception and notification procedures
- Expert opinions on regulatory issues (credit institutions, financial service providers, payment institutions)
- Drafting contracts with a regulatory background (e.g. outsourcing, cooperations, ICT third-party service providers)
- Implementation projects (e.g. DORA, MiCAR, AI Act, Credit Servicer Directive, FiDA)
- Training for management and supervisory bodies
Further Information on Dr Hannes Bracht can be found here.
Mr Daniel Wittmann | Deloitte
Presentation: DORA Governance, Organisation and Responsibilities of the Management
Education/professional career:
- Studies at Deutsche Bundesbank Hochschule and Goethe University Frankfurt
- Certified Information Security Manager
- 2017 – 2023: Employee at Deutsche Bundesbank – On-Site inspection for IT and Outsourcing
- since 2024 at Deloitte (current position: Senior Manager)
Main topics: